The KICKR CORE Zwift One may now be the most popular smart trainer in the world, thanks to its competitive price point as a standalone product and being sold as the default trainer with the Zwift Ride smart frame. A couple of weeks ago, Zwift and Wahoo began promoting the trainer at a reduced price.
And now today, we’re seeing the price has dropped even further: down $85 in the US, £90 in the UK, €99 in the EU. If you’re looking for a good price on a reliable smart trainer, this is the lowest I’ve ever seen the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One. Shopping links below (these are affiliate links – your purchase helps support Zwift Insider):
If you are in the US and purchase your KICKR CORE Zwift One through Zwift, you can check a box on the main page to get free Zwift Play controllers ($50 value) with your purchase:
This doesn’t seem to be an option in the UK and EU.
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One Basics
Wahoo’s KICKR CORE is the most popular budget direct-drive smart trainer on the planet today, and it has only grown more popular since it began shipping with the Zwift Ride. With solid specs and proven reliability, the KICKR CORE’s success is no mystery: it’s an affordable trainer that meets or exceeds the needs of the vast majority of Zwifters.
The KICKR CORE Zwift One ships with the Zwift Cog installed in place of a standard cassette. The Zwift Cog is made for trainers using Zwift’s virtual shifting, and is simply a single sprocket surrounded by a housing. (You only need one sprocket since virtual shifting changes the trainer’s resistance to mimic a gear shift, instead of changing a physical sprocket on a cassette.)
The included Cog is the orange “version 2,” which is adjustable and quieter than earlier versions. This Zwift Cog easily adjusts left to right between 10 different sprocket positions for the straightest chainline, and rubber rings and other changes to the housing make it noticeably quieter than previous Zwift Cog versions.
Eric runs Zwift Insider in the spare time he finds between riding his bike and managing various business interests. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife Monica. Follow on Strava
Would you recommend this over the jet-black victory? Do you know the reason for the sale. Just worried I get this and they release a newer version or something else
I like my jet black victory especially WiFi connection is useful if using apple TV
David from Chicago
11 months ago
Does anyone know if you get any sort of discount on your Zwift membership if you buy one?
Thoughts on whether the price will be lower during their Anniversary sales in Oct?
Figured out the answer to my first question, you get a $25 discount on a years sub if you buy from Zwift, and $50 if you buy from Wahoo (but you don’t get free controllers).
Also, our favorite online retail overlord has matched the sales price, so if you don’t need the controllers or the sub discount, you can save $20 (Zwift shipping charge) by getting free & faster shipping there.
Also, don’t forget, you can use your FSA / HSA dollars from work to pay for this, giving you an extra “discount” of using pre-tax money.
Tim
11 months ago
And Canadian get screwed even more. Canadians are being charged CA$899, about US$650, from Wahoo’s site (since zwift doesn’t ship to canada). About US$200 extra! And then shipping (CA$125) and taxes (depends on province but usually over CA$100) are still on top of that.
Gunkanes
11 months ago
I bought mine last week directly from Zwift. Great trainer and the feeling is like easy mode after Tacx Neo. I think is perfect for Zwift. But the rotating drum get so hot that i am losing arrow stickers almost every sesion.
Unfortunately, this has been reported with some units 🙁
Might consider getting a smallish desk fan to blow air on it during your workouts otherwise talk with Wahoo support.
I think it’s NOT perfect for Zwift, specifically racing. I tried going from the KICKR V5 to the KICKR Core solely for the virtual shifting support. I ended up returning the Core since it was much less accurate in comparison. I would regularly get power readings as much as 5% higher than my power pedals on average, whereas the V5 difference was less than 1%.
Some people would like the extra watts, but I prefer accuracy. Unfortunately, I look at all racers with some skepticism now, wondering how accurate their setups are.
These things are toys. You need to spend a lot of money to get a decent indoor setup. I no longer fo any racing it’s better to race yourself and improve your own PBs. Too many people are using rubbish on Zwift maybe they need to put up what people are using and their weight LIVE on screen.
Still can’t see any Zwift Play availability in the UK shop to get my level unlocked free Zwift Plays 😢
Stephen Bennett
11 months ago
Poor Australia still missing out I just want play controllers.
David from Chicago
11 months ago
Interesting, they kept the sale going past labor day and the Zwift website finally shows the trainer out of stock.
The sale was semi-obvious way to help get rid of the remaining Play stock prior to the announcement of the Click v2, but maybe a new version of the Core is coming as well?
Would you recommend this over the jet-black victory? Do you know the reason for the sale. Just worried I get this and they release a newer version or something else
I like my jet black victory especially WiFi connection is useful if using apple TV
Does anyone know if you get any sort of discount on your Zwift membership if you buy one?
Thoughts on whether the price will be lower during their Anniversary sales in Oct?
Figured out the answer to my first question, you get a $25 discount on a years sub if you buy from Zwift, and $50 if you buy from Wahoo (but you don’t get free controllers).
Also, our favorite online retail overlord has matched the sales price, so if you don’t need the controllers or the sub discount, you can save $20 (Zwift shipping charge) by getting free & faster shipping there.
Also, don’t forget, you can use your FSA / HSA dollars from work to pay for this, giving you an extra “discount” of using pre-tax money.
And Canadian get screwed even more. Canadians are being charged CA$899, about US$650, from Wahoo’s site (since zwift doesn’t ship to canada). About US$200 extra! And then shipping (CA$125) and taxes (depends on province but usually over CA$100) are still on top of that.
I bought mine last week directly from Zwift. Great trainer and the feeling is like easy mode after Tacx Neo. I think is perfect for Zwift. But the rotating drum get so hot that i am losing arrow stickers almost every sesion.
Unfortunately, this has been reported with some units 🙁
Might consider getting a smallish desk fan to blow air on it during your workouts otherwise talk with Wahoo support.
I think it’s NOT perfect for Zwift, specifically racing. I tried going from the KICKR V5 to the KICKR Core solely for the virtual shifting support. I ended up returning the Core since it was much less accurate in comparison. I would regularly get power readings as much as 5% higher than my power pedals on average, whereas the V5 difference was less than 1%.
Some people would like the extra watts, but I prefer accuracy. Unfortunately, I look at all racers with some skepticism now, wondering how accurate their setups are.
These things are toys. You need to spend a lot of money to get a decent indoor setup. I no longer fo any racing it’s better to race yourself and improve your own PBs. Too many people are using rubbish on Zwift maybe they need to put up what people are using and their weight LIVE on screen.
Hope the zwift bike alone will go on sale to.
👆this!
Still can’t see any Zwift Play availability in the UK shop to get my level unlocked free Zwift Plays 😢
Poor Australia still missing out I just want play controllers.
Interesting, they kept the sale going past labor day and the Zwift website finally shows the trainer out of stock.
The sale was semi-obvious way to help get rid of the remaining Play stock prior to the announcement of the Click v2, but maybe a new version of the Core is coming as well?